Rose's POV

"May I take a seat?" I ask him. He looks at me inquisitively and slightly nods his head. I smile in relief and sit down. We sit in silence before I notice that the Elder too is snacking on madeleines; however, that should be expected given his French heritage.

"You enjoy madeleines?" I ask the obvious. The Elder looks at me as if I am stupid, I can't blame him. I think of a playful joke and suppress a laugh at the thought. Elder Finley raises an eyebrow, noticing my smile.

"Would it be wrong of me to joke with you?" I ask.

"I am human, no?" He surprisingly responds. I smile at his words.

"You are, but I do not know for how much longer. Considering that you are ancient and all, I would assume that you would follow a better diet." I say casually, motioning to the desserts.

The Elder shocks me and everyone else not-so-discreetly watching our interaction. Elder Alistair Finley releases a deep sounding laugh at my playful jab. His laugh is surprisingly contagious, and soon, I join in. The whole ball room goes silent, the only voices you can hear are Elder Finley's and my own.

"That was a good one child." The Elder chuckles.

"I thought so too." I smile. We look at each other briefly before breaking into another round of laughter. A few moments pass before I gather myself.

"Is there any particular reason why you requested the seat next to me?" My superior asks.

"No. This seat provides me with a good view of the night sky, as well with a nice place to eat my madeleines. Requesting the seat next to you just so happened to be a coincidence." I say. He nods. We lapse into a more comfortable silence.

"Headmaster Jackson filed a report to revoke 7 students' statuses." The Elder states randomly, looking at me curiously. I gulp and nod.

"I had the premonition when I woke up that something was going to happen. It did not end in my favor, but my companions saved me in time." I say. I wait a moment before continuing. "I actually prayed to the gods that day, asking for more than guidance. I prayed that I learn the lesson that the heavens intended for me to find out, for I believe that everything happens for a reason. There is a reason why I met my fated companion, there is a reason why I possess magic like no other, there is a reason why I was sexually assaulted." I pause to gather myself.

"I now realize that the message they wanted me to find out was that one can only display their true strength during their most vulnerable state. I could have given up, I could have quit the Academy, instead, I grew. I became even stronger physically and tougher mentally than before. It was hard for the first few weeks, then I began to understand myself better. I became more in tune with my emotions and my actions. I developed confidence and self-love, as well as the growth required for me to come out of the situation not as a victim, but as a survivor." I honestly say. I hold back my tears and take a deep breath. Elder Finley analyzes my words before responding.

"You are incredibly honorable, your bravery and development are only a testament to that. You speak with the wisdom of someone who has lived many lives, and you appreciate your surroundings as one who could have been born from the soil. Not only have I heard praise about your abilities, I have come to my own conclusion that you are somebody who will make a great impact on the Magii Community." He tells me. I blush and thank him.

"Anyone who wants to make a donation has a five minute warning." A voice is amplified from the stage. Elder Finley sighs and pats my knee.

"You will one day understand your true value." He says vaguely. I stand up and nod my head.

"Yes sir, as you said, "LIFE can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards." It was a pleasure to converse with you Elder Finley." I smile. He looks shocked for a moment before he puts two and two together.

"Alistair," He says. I confusedly look at him. "Call me Alistair." He tells me. I am shocked, yet nod nonetheless.

"Very well Alistair. Then you may call me Vera." I smile.

"Vera?" He questions.

"Vera Hadley Wellington, my real name. I go by Rose as a given nickname, but you can call me Vera." I inform him. If I am able to call the highest of superiors by his first name, then he should be able to do the same for me. He nods and leaves with his trash. I take my empty plate and throw it in the trash bin before I am bombarded by my friends.

"He talked to you!!" Aiden says shocked. I nod in reference to what he is implying.

"And you talked to him!!" Lucas says with wide eyes.

"You talked with Elder Finley!! ELDER FINLEY!!" Louis whisper shouts, shaking my shoulders back and forth.

"Alistair is a very knowledgeable person." I shrug him off.

"ROSE!!" Joel whisper shouts. "YOU CAN'T CALL AN ELDER BY THEIR FIRST NAME!!" He scolds me quietly.

"He told me to." I say simply.

"I think I'm going to faint." Clay leans on Aiden.

"Not only did you talk to Elder Finley, he talked back. Then you made him laugh, now he allows you to call him by his first name!" Lucas tells me.

"Okay ..." I trail off, not knowing their point.

"You don't know?! She doesn't know!" Clay chants over and over again. Aiden pats his back understandingly.

"Rose," Aiden sighs. "Elder's only allow people who they see as their equal to refer to them without their earned title. Not even the Ambassadors call Elder Finley by his first name as far as I know." Aiden tells me. I look at him shocked.

"Oh my goddess." I mutter. I didn't know that when Eld—Alistair allowed me to call him by his first name, he insinuated that he sees me as his equal. "This is a big deal, isn't it?" I quietly say.

"It is." Louis answers me. I see a large smile form on Joel's face.

"What?" I ask him.

"Do you know what this means?" He asks me, I shake my head no. "You totally boosted Stone Heart's reputation! Headmaster Jackson is probably getting compliments right now for having such a prodigal student at his Academy." He tells me. I try and find our Headmaster, but I do not see him anywhere. "Not only that, but you totally got Albert Chadwick's approval." He smiles at me proudly.

"Albert Chadwick? You mean the Albert Chadwick?" Lucas asks. Joel nods.

"You are like the ball's poster girl." Aiden tells me with an smile of admiration. I smile to myself, slightly lowering my head. I guess I kind of am.

"Alright students," The amplified voice returns at the top of the dual staircase. "We have the results for this year's ball." The man announces. An applause picks up at his words. I notice how all of the Headmasters of every Academy are lined along the second floor, outwards from the center stage.

"This year, there have been more donators than any previous year, with the number remaining at 136 Magii Community members!" The announcer says enthusiastically. "Now, for the moment we have all been waiting for. The student who has raised the most amount of money for their Academy is..." He trails off, the anticipation building.

"Rose Wellington from Stone Heart Magic Wielding and Dragon Riding Academy!!!" The applause picks up quite loudly as I make my way up the stairs, towards the stage. "She has raised a whopping $272,923!!" He says over the crowd. I am stunned at the amount, stilling mid-walk. The crowd claps even louder after their shock wears off. I get to the top of the stage and smile brightly.

"Is there anything you would like to say?" He asks. I nod my head and he hands me over the microphone. Time to improvise.

"First of all, I would like to say a big thank you to all who contributed a monetary sum towards not only Stone Heart, but to all of the Academies this evening." I wait for the cheers to die down. Doing good so far.

"Next, I would like to appreciate the selected students themselves. Just to be able to attend this event means you have the potential to be great, so develop your skills, work on what needs improvement, grow not only as person, but develop good morals while you do so. So a big congratulations to everyone in this room." I smile widely as the applause continues. Almost done, don't screw this up.

"Lastly, I would like to thank my friends and Headmaster Jackson for always encouraging me to be the greatest version of myself that I can become. With that being said, thank you to all who made me laugh and smile tonight as I stand on stage right now. Thank you!" I finish my unprepared speech. I hand the mic back over to the smiling announcer. That could have gone worse.

"Well, she said it best!" He chuckles into the microphone. I hear a few laughs go around the room. "For your reward, Headmaster Jackson will tell you now." He says, handing over the mic to my Headmaster.

"Good evening everyone! Now, if you all do not know, Rose works around the clock not only as a prodigy blacksmith but as a tamer as well. She is the only student tamer paged for more dangerous animals due to her ability to calm down mythological creatures. From taming her current dragon companion while feral, to a wild and badly injured feral Chimera, we decided that it be best to gift Rose a creature companion." Holy Goddess.

"Headmaster Weiss informed me of an extremely dangerous Cerberus that was in critical condition when brought in a few days ago. It was not only feral, but it had to be sedated twice to allow for the sanctuary workers to assist it. If Rose can calm down the creature, she will be able to keep it as her companion." Headmaster says. Gasps and whispers go around the room as I realize what he is doing, Headmaster Jackson wants to give everyone a live show of my abilities. This way, everyone will have reassurance that I live up to the praise. Way to promote the school.

I hear a ferocious growl coming from the other direction. A caged, three-headed wolf Cerberus enters my line of sight. Most Cerberus creatures are friendly and very playful, making them wonderful companions. They are often domesticated dog breeds, so a three-headed wolf breed is very rare.

I move closer to the cage, wanting nothing more than to give the creature a hug. I can see the missing fur from each of their snouts and their legs from where I assume they were muzzled and tied. The thought makes me saddened.



'If I tame this wolf Cerberus, would you all be okay with me keeping it as a companion?' I ask my dragons.

'Ooo, wolf Cerberus's are rare. I am fine with it.' Apollo says intrigued.

'I do not mind little one, the more creatures you can help, the better.' Belvedere says understandingly.

'I want to see a Cerberus too, I am fine with it as well.' Artemis replies. With the okay from my dragons, I walk around the cage.

The bars are wide enough to where I can squeeze myself inside if I cared for it. The creature growls at me threateningly, noticing my proximity to his cage. Drool is dripping from the creature's teeth as the Cerberus bears its canines. Wild Cerberus can be really dangerous if in an unfamiliar environment, they don't need to be feral to reach that level of caution. I see Headmaster Weiss standing off to the side with the other superiors.

"Information and progress." I say in my work mode. He clears his throat.

"Fighting off poachers when we found it. The creature was beat, whipped, muzzled, and shot at with arrows. This specific Cerberus is a younger male we estimate to be only a couple of years old. He is extremely hesitant around every new face and will attack if you get near. We have kept it caged since it arrived because not even our best tamer can get near without being at risk." He informs me. I nod.

Wolf Cerberus's have alpha male tendencies. They want you to submit to them without question before you gain their trust. Because Cerberus's are the "gatekeepers of the Underworld", their masters use a certain set of words to tame and control the size of them. This can be applied to a variety of different mythological creatures, including Hydras, certain dragon breeds, Basiliks, Griffins, Zmiulans, Chimeras, and others, just with different sets of demands.

I know what I have to do, and it is very risky, but if I get to keep a wolf Cerberus as a companion, I will gladly do it. I put my arm inside of the cage.

"WAIT!! WHAT ARE YO-" Headmaster Weiss doesn't get a chance to finish yelling at me as the wolf Cerberus has already scratched off a big layer of skin. I hear all of the superiors gasp in shock, the crowd of students below begin shouting, trying to understand what is happening. I don't register the pain until a few seconds after. I retract my bleeding arm from the cage, holding in my pained shouts.



I take a deep breath and ignore the pain. In order for the Cerberus to calm down even a tad bit, the creature needs to see me bleeding. If it sees my blood, and me not attacking in retaliation, the creature will register the action as me being weaker.

I take a leap of faith and slip into the cage. Just as the creature pounces on me, I show my neck. The wolf Cerberus has his middle teeth clamped down on my neck, the other two heads look at me threateningly. I am completely at the creature's mercy, he can snap my neck in the blink of an eye and nobody would be able to do anything about it. The Cerberus pushes his teeth harder into my neck, I register the familiar feeling of blood running down my neck. I go limp in the creature's hold, submitting to him.

From an outsider's point of view, it may very well look like I am dead. With the blood trickling down my neck, dripping into the cage, and limp body hanging from the neck of the Cerberus, it looks like I am dead. I hear many gasps at my limp figure.

"GET SOME HELP!!" Headmaster Jackson bellows. I don't utter a peep, in fear of scaring the Cerberus. I hear other superiors shout orders, but I pay no mind to them. I very slowly raise my hand and bring it to the Cerberus's right head. I begin petting his head soothingly.

He releases my neck from his grip and I immediately begin coughing. Once I regain my breath, I sit calmly in a meditative position. Now that the Cerberus has my submission, he begins sniffing my entire being. I let him run his snouts over my figure, him getting familiar with my scent. Now that the Cerberus is slightly less tense, he looks directly into my eyes. He cocks his heads slightly, then submits to me as well.

I am surprised by this action, maybe the creature feels as if we are equals based on my resting power state. I raise my hand in the air and the wolf breed shows his teeth. He brings his snout to it, then lowers his middle head into the palm of my hand. I begin petting him, humming a calming melody. This creature has been through so much abuse by humans that it hardly trusts any of us. I choose to sing a song that I know for a fact can calm down creatures, one that I sing to Belvedere quite often. * Ancient of Days - City Alight *

Though the dread of night overwhelms my soul He is here with me, I am not alone O His love is sure, and He knows my name For my God is, the Ancient of Days

None above Him, none before Him All of time in His hands For His throne it shall remain and ever stand All the power, all the glory I will trust in His name For my God is, the Ancient of Days

I softly sing to the creature, completely forgetting the audience of powerful Magii users watching my every move. After I finish the song, I continuously hum the song's harmony repetitively. When the Cerberus sits down, I stroke all of his heads. After I am sure that the wolf Cerberus is completely relaxed, I scratch behind his ears.

"You are just misunderstood, aren't you?" I ask softly. The Cerberus raises his heads. "I am going to name you Maximilian. It means greatness in Latin." I tell him. He wags his tail and barks happily. "I am so good at naming creatures." I smugly say. I smile wide when Max jumps up and tackles me, giving me kisses all over my face. "Maxxxx." I whine loudly, laughing all the while. I get up and wipe off the invisible dirt from my dress. I reach for my powder in my sword casing and take it out.

"This is going to help us heal." I say. I first put the powder on my arm wound, then on the bites on my neck. Next, I take some powder and put it on each of the bald spots in Maximilian's fur. The Cerberus sneezes when he sniffs the powder on his leg. I let out a chuckle and wait for his fur to grow. I cap the vial and put it back in my sword casing.

"See? We are as good as new." I smile. I fix my hair and wipe away any dried blood, attempting to fix my appearance. I crouch down to Max's standard height.

"I have three dragon companions, and I want for you to join our family. I want you to be my companion." I tell the wolf Cerberus. He licks my face with all three of his heads. I laugh again. "Is that a yes?" I ask. Max barks happily.

"We are going to have so much fun at the Academy, we can play fetch and frisbee and all other sorts of games." I say excitedly to the Cerberus. Max barks happily. "To solidify our companionship, I am going to see if I can command you to change your size. If you follow my command, we will be fated companions." I say to Maximilian. I will never never misuse commands over him unless it is a dire emergency. Also, Maximilian's part of the companionship is to see if he chooses to obey my words.

"Deminuo." I say with authority. [ T : Decrease. ]

A moment passes before Max shrinks to the size of a cub. I pick him up and twirl him in the air.



^ Maximilian's Pup State



^ Maximilian's Cub State



^ Maximilian's Regular State



^ Maximilian's Giant State

I set him down when I feel a searing pain on my left calf. I lay down and bite my lip until the pain is over. I release a breath, I forgot how painful companion marks can be. I lift my dress just enough to where I can see my tattoo. Interesting. For Belvedere and I's companion mark, I got many different spiritual markings along my spine and up my neck. Maximilian and I's companion mark is a bolded design of three wolf heads with entangled flower vines.



"You see this? Now we are official companions." I smile at Max. He barks happily, wagging his tail. "We are going to have to step outside this cage alright." I say slowly. Maximilian whimpers and corners himself in the cage, growling. "None of that mister. You will never be mistreated while under my care, so there is nothing to worry about. You can stay by my side, but no biting." I tell him. He nods his heads. I slip out of the cage and wait for my new companion. He slowly looks around at the adults, then at me. Step by step, he makes his way out of the cage and by my side.

"You did so good Max!" I praise my wolf Cerberus by showering him with quick pecks all over his heads. He barks happily and licks my cheek. "Yeah yeah, I like you too." I laugh. I hold my cub in my arms and finally get a good look at the crowd.

Headmaster Jackson looks pale, Headmaster Weiss looks completely mortified, meanwhile the other superiors on the second floor look somewhat worried. My gaze lands on Alistair, he gives me a nod. I have no idea what it means, but I accept it.

"Is everyone alright?" I ask hesitantly. Headmaster Weiss and my own Headmaster snap their heads to me.

"Are we alright? WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!" Headmaster Jackson yells at me. I flinch and Maximilian jumps out of my arms and begins growling, growing in size.

"Max," I warn him. "Heel. Deminuo." I command my companion. He obeys, jumping into my arms as a cub.

"Are you suicidal?! Why in goddesses name would you allow a dangerous creature to have the choice to end your life." Headmaster Weiss scolds me.

"My actions were necessary to gain the Cerberus's trust. Because Maximilian is a wolf Cerberus, he has alpha tendencies. I had to submit my body to him by showing my neck. This helps develop the basis level of trust between me and my now companion." I smile while petting Max.

"That was very well executed. I have no idea how your powder healed your wounds and the Cerberus's wounds, but you impressed me." Ambassador Collins speaks up.

"You gave us quite a scare." Ambassador Abdul adds.

"It is necessary to take risks when taming certain creatures. You also need to have a basic understanding of how to access any given situation. Maximilian needed to see my blood without me attacking him in return. This tells him that I will not fight against him. Then, after I submitted to him, he submitted his body to me as well, showing me that he believes that we are equal in a sense. Since Cerberus's were initially created as guards of the Underworld, maybe Maximilian could sense my pure intentions. Anyway, none of your tamers understood that they needed to risk a small injury to gain Max's trust." I inform everyone. Headmaster Weiss nods to my words and Headmaster Jackson is now looking at me in relief, still pale though.

"Please tell me that this is not daily behavior." Headmaster Weiss asks Headmaster Jackson.

"Her second day at the Academy, she shot arrows off of her fated companion's back. She approached a feral Chimera without any weapons. She has trained with powerful dragons blindfolded. She has almost caused three explosions in her Powders class and has no problem with jumping off of her companion's back while flying full speed." Headmaster Jackson informs everyone while looking pointedly at me.

"Ah, good times." I recall cheekily.

"Unbelievable." My Headmaster mutters. A few of my superiors break into laughs. Samuel Woods brings me over a damp cloth. I thank him and set Max down, cleaning my bare skin. After all of my blood's residue is wiped away, I throw the cloth into the cage.

"You will never have to be in one of those again." I whisper to Maximilian as we watch the cage get taken back to the sanctuary.

"Where is your companion's mark?" Headmaster Jackson asks. I lift up my dress slightly, showing him and the other important figureheads my left calf.

"That is a very detailed mark." Headmaster Weiss observes. I nod.

"Thank you so much for letting me keep Max." I smile brightly at the two Headmasters.

"Nobody here could handle him, you are the exception." Headmaster Weiss informs me. I shrug my shoulders.

"How long did it take?" I ask.

"Not even ten minutes." Headmaster Jackson shakes his head in disbelief. I smile at the sleepy cub in my arms.

"Natum." I instruct my companion. [ T : Newborn. ]

Max shrinks to an even smaller size. I place him atop of my head, and he curls his figure around my hair. I get used to his weight and balance him on my head without much effort. I go downstage towards the prying eyes of the crowd. I smile and nod at the students with the pup on my head, they break out into cheers and hollers.

I thank my superiors once again, heading down the staircase. Although Max is hesitant around new people, I let my honey scented hair lull him into a calm, sleepy state. My companion relaxes on my head, staying in his smallest form. I can tell that my friends want to hug me, but I motion to the creature on my head. They nod understandingly, Clay looking at Maximilian more excited than the others.

"Maximilian." I say his name. Clay nods and smiles.

"You are so lucky to have a wolf Cerberus." He tells me, I nod in obvious agreement. Wolf Cerberus's are a smudge less rare than Belvedere's species. I show them my companion mark on my leg and get a good reaction from them.

"The design is very cool." Aiden smiles at me.

"That is so unfair! You have two tattoos already, I want just one." Joel pouts. I laugh at his playful tone.

"Yeah, you are still 15. I am 18 and still have no marks, no tattoos, not even a piercing." Lucas whines. In all fairness, I turn 16 a few days after we leave the Academy.

"I suggest a naval piercing." I smile.

"No." All five boys tell me.

"It was just a suggestion." I raise my hands. Louis laughs, then pauses for a moment.

"Why did Headmaster Jackson scream for help?" He asks me. I sheepishly smile.

"I used to powder to help my wounds, and a cloth to wipe away the blood, but I may or may not have been laying limp in Max's jaws. In my defense, it was necessary. In Headmaster's perspective, with the blood dripping down my neck, I looked dead when I didn't move a muscle after Maximilian applied more pressure to my neck with his teeth." I say. The boys look at me in shock and slight anger.

"You need to be more careful." Joel fusses.

"That was bold." Lucas tells me. I nod to their statements.

"If I may have your attention," The announcer shouts into the microphone. "Congratulations to the second and third highest fundraising students, there will be a gift basket on each of your beds. Let's allow the gala to continue for the time being. Thank you everyone and have a good evening!" He finishes. We cheer happily as classical music starts playing lowly in the background. I chat with my friends for a good amount of time before wanting to speak with Headmaster Jackson.

I bid each of them farewell as I go in search of my Headmaster. I find him chatting with three other Headmasters, so I walk up to him and politely slide into their conversation.

"Good evening gentlemen, if you do not mind, I would like to speak with Headmaster Jackson." I smile at them. They nod their heads.

"Congratulations on your Cerberus." One of them motions to the creature on my head. I thank him and the three men depart.

"Is everything alright?" He asks me.

"Yes sir, I was just wondering what you were planning to do with the surplus of money." I say.

"I was hoping to expand the dragon stables, give the instructors a raise, and possibly expand the sanctuary. Why?" He asks. I sigh in relief.

"I was going to suggest expanding the sanctuary, then see your reaction. I have a feeling that we will be bringing in more injured creatures than ever before in these approaching years." I tell him, he nods to my words. The amount of creatures per few months that we have been helping are steadily increasing. The sanctuary is going to need more space in order to inhabit and take care of all of the creatures.

"I must say, you have made Stone Heart Academy very proud." My Headmaster says out of the blue. "Not only did you raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, you boosted our reputation and received compliments from some of the most important Magii Community figures. Albert Chadwick approached me saying how he feels as though you could be greater than him one day and suggested to increase your pay to at least 35% per order. I am going to follow through with this by decreasing the Academy's profit to 40% per order." Headmaster Jackson tells me. "Especially after you tamed your companion, I was approached by many Headmasters who wanted to congratulate me for having such a powerful student at the Academy. No doubt you will be an important figurehead in the Magii Community." Headmaster compliments me.

"Thank you very much Headmaster, but I wouldn't have come this far with my abilities if it weren't for each of my instructors." I humbley respond.

I feel a piercing gaze on the back of my head. I turn around to find Alistair looking at me intensely. I excuse myself from Headmaster Jackson and make my way over.

"Alistair." I bow in greeting, keeping my balance with Max on my head.

"Vera." He responds with a nod. He pats the seat next to him and I sit down in the space. "Very well done with your wolf Cerberus." He compliments me.

"Thank you sir. Although I frightened many people, I would do it all over again if it means Maximilian and I will stay together." I smile upwards at my pup. Alistair nods.

"I have heard much about your weapons, may I see them for myself?" He requests. I nod, unhooking my two crafts from my back. I hand him my sword first.

"Care to explain?" He raises an eyebrow. I go into fine depth, more than I have for anyone before about my designs. I tell Alistair all about my intentions and meanings of my designs, as well inform him about imperium and its effect on me. We sit in silence until he speaks up again. "And the katana?" He asks. I do the same, talking about the whole process and the backstory to every design on my weapon. Hereby say that the 80 year old magii user was very impressed.

"I am stunned by how you craft your weapons in such fine detail. There is a meaning to every design, making the artistry that much more extravagant. I was surprised to find out that you know Sanskrit, many great fire masters use the language as a means of self-reflect. I have traveled to all of the Supernatural Communities during my time as an Elder and nobody's weapons can compare to yours." He pauses for a moment. "Look at my hands Vera." He instructs me. I do so, now noticing the tattoos he has on some of his fingers. There is a well detailed wolf on his right index finger, there is a simplistic snake mark on his left ring finger, and there is a bird tattoo on the inside of his middle finger.

"Where are these from?" I ask, observing his given marks.

"They are not companion tattoos, rather symbols of enhanced gifts. When I went to the Coven Community, very few regular looking animals have the ability to speak. Those who are able to speak to anyone they come across are called the Originals. There are only 9 Originals known so far to the Coven Community, if you come across one, you are to never reveal their identity. You can come across an Original, but not be gifted their ability. I will not tell you how I gained my abilities, but I have come across three of the Originals, represented by the tattoos. Nobody is able to depict an Original from their species because they were meant to blend in. You will know when you come across an Original when they speak to you mentally." Alistair gives me plenty of new information. I take a minute to process his words.

"Is it common to come across more than one Original?" I ask, seeing as how he has three markings.

"Regular witches and warlocks would be lucky if they ever came across one. Originals are attracted to powerful auras, thus, only powerful people are likely to come across more than one." He answers.

"When I come of age, I hope to travel all over the world. I want to experience different lifestyles and cultures." I state.

"I hope for you to do that, it was an amazing experience for me when I did." Alistair tells me. The powerful magii user has no family because his wife and 20 year old daughter died when they were trapped in their house while it was on fire. Alistair was meeting with the other Elder's about pressing matters, so he wasn't there to save them. I can imagine that he feels guilty for not being there, but it was no fault of his. I am assuming he took the time to travel to the other Communities while in the grieving stage.

"Why did you talk to me?" I ask him sporadically. He understands what I am getting at.

"I choose to observe rather than to partake. I have always felt that the more people you come across, the more wisdom you may gain. None of the people here will provide any benefit to me." He says.

"And I do?" I raise an eyebrow. He nods.

"You have one of the most complex minds I have yet to come across. You speak with wisdom that can only come from experience. But seeing as how you are very young, I am curious to know where your wisdom comes from. You analyze every situation and observe the smallest of details in your surroundings. Not only will you become more powerful than me, you will be so much greater than I. I find it a pleasure to talk to you because the words you speak of hold much importance. I can tell that you only speak up when you feel the need to get your point across, so I listen very intently to your words, trying to understand how you think. Therefore, conversing with you serves a benefit to me." He replies. I nod to his words. We sit in a comfortable silence, none of us needing to speak up in the moment.

"Grief is like the ocean, it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim." I say, looking at the ballroom's interior. Alistair raises an eyebrow.

"I get the sense that you often think about your family. You experienced a grief that was no fault of yours, but you handled it and overcame it. I am sure that they are smiling upon your figure from the heavens, for they are proud to see the person you have become." I turn to him, referring to his guilt from the fire. He nods to me, a reminiscent look in his eyes.

"Thank you Vera." He says. I nod to him, it is a good reminder to look back and view our past. Although it may not have been favorable, our past shapes us into who we are in the present. The two of us are sitting in silence when a strange feeling overcomes me.

There is this tingling sensation in my body and I do not know why. I am getting agitated emotions sent to me from my twins, Belvedere is sending me anxious emotions as well.

"Something is wrong." I stand up with a frown. I set Maximilian on the floor and instruct him to return to his regular size. All so suddenly, I feel a dark and sinister presence knock the wind out of me. I fall down to my knees, trying to catch my breath.

"Vera! What is wrong?" Alistair asks me worriedly. I shake my head, telling him I don't know. He calls for Headmaster Jackson.

"What's going on?" He crouches down to my position on my knees.

"I need Belvedere." I wheeze out, having not regained my breath. Headmaster nods and picks me up bridal style. I feel another wave of darkness pass through me, this time, I am not the only one affected. Alistair and Ambassador Abdul begin coughing, slightly hunching over.

"What is that?" Ambassador coughs out. I am unable to answer as Headmaster briskly carries my form to my companions. I make sure that Max is trailing us and work on regaining my breath. The second wave affected me more so than the first one.

I feel the crisp and unforgiving chill of night hit me in the face as we enter outside. I see Belvedere a few meters away with my twins. He sees me and approaches me quickly, placing his snout on my forehead. He channels his healing powers into my body, allowing his calming presence to override my frenzied state. When I regain my breath, I thank him. I see Alistair, Headmaster Jackson, and other important figures watching me.

"Did you feel it?" Alistair asks me. I nod.

"Feel what?" Headmaster Jackson questions.

"The darkness. It was like an evil and sinister presence knocked the wind out of me." I say before continuing on. "What you felt was the second wave." I direct towards Alistair and Ambassador Abdul. I can sense that my twins are getting more agitated. I immediately send calming and relaxing emotions through all of my bonds, soothing my dragon's' cautious minds.

I get into a meditative position and clear my mind space. I completely ignore the voices I hear, instead, tuning in on my senses. I look for even the slightest vibrations from around the school's barrier. The steps are hardly noticeable, but I can tell that extremely light movements are being made. The only reason I can sense them is because I am specifically searching for them. Next, I tap into my energy reserves and briefly view the auras in the atmosphere. What I sense makes me gasp in utter shock. I enter my conscious state and pop up into a standing position.

"What happened?" Ambassador Abdul questions, noticing my expression.

"The auras in the air ..... they are evil." I whisper the last words. I slightly tear up when a third wave of this dark presence affects me. I crash to the ground, cradling my body. I see that the more powerful of magii users are slightly hunched over, but none in the position that I am. I completely block off my emotions from my companions, not wanting them to feel whatever is happening to me.

I suck in large gulps of air when the feeling retreats. Why am I so affected by this presence? I feel the lighter vibrations coming closer to us, just in front of the school's barrier.

'I think we should scope out the area.' Belvedere suggests. Apollo and Artemis murmur their agreement.

'I will take Artemis, he is the only one who blends in with the night sky.' I respond. 'Is that alright?' I ask him.

'Yes Rose, if I can help repel this agitation, I will do whatever it takes.' He replies. I walk over to him and mount his back.

"What are you doing?!" Headmaster Jackson asks me, looking at me as if I am crazy.

"Scoping out the area." I respond before Artemis takes off. We travel high in the air as quietly as we can, blending in with the scenery. Because of my apparent ability to see beyond magical barriers, I will be able to see what is causing so much disturbance.

When we get closer to Sparrow Light Academy's barrier, the feeling of evil becomes more present. I look out and see dark spirits hovering right outside the barrier. There are black figures that look somewhat transparent that are lined up along the magical reinforcement. There are dark souls hovering over the crowd of darkness, below us by hundreds of feet.

Since I have enhanced senses, Artemis and I do not need to be close in order for me to see the situation clearly. It takes a moment before it all clicks in my head. Outside the Academy barrier is a large group of Shadows. I inform Artemis that we can return to the ground, when we land, I hop off of my dragons back and face my superiors. I speak up before I can get scolded.

"Shadows." The one word spoken causes the atmosphere to become thick with tension. "No more than 50." I continue.

"How shall we proceed?" Headmaster asks Alistair. The magi user motions for me to stand beside him.

"It is time we face them." He tells me, ordering for everyone else to stay behind. I nod, taking my sword from my back. I signal to the triple-elemental that I am ready. I am thankful I wore compression shorts over my underwear and brought my favorite weapons, should I need to move or protect myself.

Alistair and I make our way to the Academy entrance, leaving behind the complaints of the others.

"You do not have to do this." He tells me.

"That is where you are wrong Alistair. A potential threat is facing us, and I will not back down because of fear." I say. "Bravery is the audacity to be unhindered by failures, and to walk with freedom, strength, and hope in the face of the unknown." I quote. If there is a problem that is troubling others, I would rather be apart of the cause to solve it than watch on the sidelines. The Elder nods to my words with a slight smile.

"Very well." Alistair accepts. We get near the barrier and step outside of it. The two of us are immediately faced with the evil Shadows.

"What is the meaning for this?" Alistair asks them. None of the fifty respond, for they are all preoccupied with observing me.

"What is the reason for your presence?" I demand. A larger Shadow steps forward, only two meters away from us.

"We have found you. It is time to bring you home." It tells me darkly. I have no idea what the figure is talking about, neither does Alistair by the looks of it.

"I will not go anywhere with the lot of you. If you could leave immediately, it would be greatly appreciated." I say sternly, masking my confusion. A few of the dark souls hiss at my reluctance.

"Master will not like this." An evil spirit grits out to the larger figure ahead of us. The scenery is deathly quiet, the tension extraordinarily high.

"Your bid is our command. We will come back for you in due time." The larger figure says before disappearing into the night, nowhere to be seen. The group of Shadows follow in his lead. The same evil spirit that spoke up before stays behind.

"It will be a pleasure to serve under you, Princess Vera." The dark presence bows before vanishing into thin air. I look up to Alistair to find him already staring at me.

"How do the Shadows know my name?" I ask quietly.

"I am unable to give you an answer." He tells me. He places his hand on my shoulder, guiding us back into the protection of the Academy.

"Why did the evil spirit call me Princess?" I ask another question.

"I do not know the answer to that either." Alistair sighs. He stops walking, instead turning to look me in the eyes. "You mustn't tell anyone about this. The only people you can inform are your companions. Understood?" He orders me. I nod as we begin walking again. He mustn't want people to know that I am of importance to these Shadows.

"What happened?" Ambassador Collins asks when we come into their line of sight.

"They gave us a message, a warning." Alistair lies to them. They give him a hopeful look to explain, but he does not follow through. The upstanding members accept his vague explanation, walking back inside.

"Are you alright?" Headmaster Jackson asks me. I nod. The stress this man must go through since I have joined the Academy must be exhausting.

"Nothing happened, I am alright." I reassure him. He nods, heading back inside as well. Only Alistair and I are left outside.

"I think I am going to get an early night's sleep, good night Alistair." I tell him. He nods, bidding me good rest.

"Deminuo." I command Max, he shrinks to cub size. I grab him and make my way to my sleeping quarters. After I brush my teeth, shower, and give Maximilian some water, I alert my dragons.

'This is what really happened.' I tell them. I only open my mind to my three companions, replaying the entire scene mentally. We lapse into silence after I stop replaying the occurrence.

'There is much to research.' Apollo starts off.

'Yes. We need to find out why they were looking for you, why they listened to you, why the Shadows know your name, and why they called you Princess.' Belvedere lists off.

'Maybe they listened to you for the same reason they call you Princess.' Artemis suggests to me. I send feelings of understanding to my companions. I tell them not to utter this to another soul as I prepare for bed.

"Goodnight Maximilian," I tell my wolf Cerberus. 'Goodnight my dragons.' I say to my companions.

'Goodnight Rose.' Artemis tells me.

'Goodnight my quis fortis.' Apollo replies.

'Goodnight little one.' Belvedere says to me. I fall into a deep sleep, my last conscious thought remaining on the question of how the Shadows knew me.

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